Wikipedia plans to spread a little love amongst its editors.

The online encyclopedia will be making its small appreciation gadget into a full-blown site feature known as “WikiLove.”  According to the site’s blog post, Wikipedia held a survey to determine what motivated or demotivated editors from becoming more involved with the site.  The results showed that 78% of editors would be more likely to edit more frequently if they received compliments and appreciation for their work.

The new WikiLove feature will let editors send virtual gifts such as stars, kittens, and beers to others to show appreciation for someone’s work.  A person sending WikiLove will also be able to send a short message to the editor explaining why they are sending them the gift.

The original prototype of this feature was developed by Wikimedia Foundation developer Ryan Kaldari.  What started out as nothing more than a small gadget will be added to the English version of Wikipedia starting June 29.

Wikipedia will be tracking the feature over the coming weeks to determine its frequency of use and whether it actually increases editor involvement.